The Fox (folk song) facts for kids
The Fox is a very old and popular folk song that comes from England. It's so well-known that it's even been featured in picture books, like The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night by Peter Spier. The song's history goes way back to the 15th century, with some of its earliest versions found as poems written in Middle English.
The Story of the Song
The most common version of "The Fox" tells a fun story about a clever fox.
- A Chilly Night: The song starts with a fox heading out on a cold night. He asks the Moon to light his way as he has a long journey to a nearby town.
- Hunting for Dinner: He reaches a farm where ducks and geese are kept. The fox plans to catch a couple of them for his meal.
- The Catch: He grabs a grey goose by its neck and quickly throws it over his back. He doesn't care about the geese's loud "quack, quack, quack!"
- The Alarm: An old woman, "Old Mother," wakes up and sees the fox. She shouts to "John" that the goose is gone and the fox is heading out of town.
- The Chase: John goes to the top of a hill and blows his horn loudly. The fox hears it and knows he needs to hurry to escape before John catches him.
- Home Sweet Home: The fox runs all the way back to his cozy den. There, his many little fox kits (baby foxes) are waiting. They are excited and ask if he should go back, thinking the town must be great if he brought such a feast!
- Feast Time: The fox and his wife happily cut up the goose. They enjoy a wonderful meal, and their little ones even chew on the bones. It's described as the best supper they've ever had!
How the Song Began
"The Fox" is a very old song, with its roots going back hundreds of years.
Early Recordings
One of the first times this song was written down was in a book called Gammer Gurton's Garland by Joseph Ritson in 1810. In this version, the song was called "Dame Widdle Waddle." It had a short part about "Old Mother Widdle Waddle" waking up and shouting that the fox had taken the goose.
Middle English Versions
The very oldest versions of "The Fox" song come from around the year 1500. They were written in Middle English, which is an older form of the English language. These old poems show that the story of a fox stealing geese has been popular for a very long time.
- "The Fox and the Goose": This version tells how the fox arrives in town quietly at night. He scares the geese and plans to take one. He grabs a goose, and people try to make him drop it. But the fox says he needs it for his sick wife and many small fox pups who are hungry.
- "The False Fox": This poem repeats a chorus about the "false fox" (meaning deceitful or tricky fox) coming to the farm to take geese. It describes the fox going into the yard, through the gate, and even into the house to get the geese. The good wife throws her "rok" (a spinning tool) at him, and the good man hits him with a "flayle" (a farm tool). But the fox still manages to get a goose and run back to his den, where he is very happy. The poem even says he came back the next week for more!
These old versions show that the main idea of the song – a clever fox trying to get food for his family from a farm – has stayed the same for centuries.
